Painting Project Must Haves!

So this week I'm taking on the task of painting Lyla's room and oh what a task it is.  Thankfully I've had some experience in the past few years in the painting department with all that we did on our home in Washington.  There are tools I've found that are well worth the purchase, tricks that save you tons of time if done right, and some that even save money.  I realized today while slathering some more green on the walls that some of these I've never heard anyone else mention and may be worth sharing.  Who knows, maybe it'll make your life easier too!

The first must have item.  

A paint can pour spout that I snagged from Lows for $.99.  First and foremost, at that price how can you really go wrong?  Truthfully, it fits on any can.  I've put it on a gallon, and it goes on with ease.  I've put it on a quart...it takes maybe an extra 5 seconds to bend it into place but it does in fact go on.  This nifty little gadget does a couple things. 

If you're pouring your paint into a paint tray, it's a pour spout.  It keeps it from dripping down the side of the can and on to the surface you're putting the can.  It keeps it from pooling up in the crease that the top goes into, making it easier to get the top on after as well as saving you paint because you haven't had to wipe it off the side of the can, or out of the top.  If you don't get it out of that crease in the top well, then it will become difficult to get the top on (learned that from experience) and then the rest of the paint in the can will dry up.  Kiss the money spent on your paint goodbye.

It does the same if you're using a paint brush right out of the can! Wipe the excess on your pour spout and it filters right back into the can to use again.  Not in the crease, not down the side, and not spattering all about.  It's easy to scrape when you're done painting so the paint on it can go into the can, and because it's plastic is rinses clean for the next color!

Must have number 2... Saran Wrap!

In the event you paint like I do and don't complete a room in a day, or save coat number 2 for the next day...saran wrap is definitely necessary.  Make note when you first dip your roller into your paint tray of how frequently you need to recoat until it becomes saturated with paint that it's not eating it up.  Wanna take a guess as how much paint you just had to use that you won't get back?  Instead of finishing for the day and washing out your roller cover, or throwing it out, wrap it in saran wrap and toss it in the fridge.  If you're not changing colors and won't need the actual roller you can keep it right on the roller itself.  If you're keeping it on the roller be sure to put it on the bottom shelf or on a tray in your fridge though, so any paint that may escape the sides won't drip on to your food.  Chances are you already have saran wrap in your house anyway so this won't even cost you money!  But, it will save you from washing away all that paint it took to wet the roller all to rewet it again the following day and waste more!  Again, can't go too wrong, right?


There's nothing I hate more when it comes to painting than taping.  Ugh.  I'm a perfectionist so it needs to be straight, it needs to stick well, it needs to be peeled off at JUST the right time so the paint won't drip onto your molding but it also won't pull the paint away in places you want it to stay.  And if you're painting near the ceiling, especially a popcorn one, well then you're just screwed.  No more!  I don't even bother using the tape now.  

 Say hello to your new best friend!  The metal one to the left is a 4 inch joint knife, the one below and to the right is a 4 inch plastic putty knife.  I've used both.  Honestly, the plastic does the job pretty well, and for a lot less.  The only time I'd recommend the joint knife would be against the popcorn ceilings, or if you're in an old home where things may not be straight and crisp, there might be bumps on the molding, and you need to really get into those corners as tight as possible to give it a clean crisp finish even though none of the joining area's on your wall are clean or crisp.  The trick?  Instead of taping your floor boards, your window and door trim, and the radiators... Instead of trying to remove the outlet and lightswitch covers that have been pretty much painted into place and then you'd have to mess with wall repair (especially a biggie if you're in a rental)... Grab your joint or putty knife and a good quality paint brush! 

Take that puppy and put it right up against whatever it is you don't want paint on (even the carpet if you don't have floor boards!) and start painting! 

A few pointers... 

If you're using the plastic putty knife make sure you check to see if both sides are the same.  Often times, one side will be rounded while one side will be flat.  Obviously, you're going to want to make sure the flat side is against the surface you don't want to get painted, otherwise if it's the rounded edge you're going to have a small gap on the wall where paint didn't get to.  Once you've figured out what side is what, take a sharpie and draw an "X" on the side that should always be facing up.  Save yourself the hassle of figuring it out each time and just look for your mark.  The joint knife is usually flat on both sides and you shouldn't have the problem. 

Be aware of what you're painting and how much paint is on the brush.  It takes a few minutes to get a good comfortable feel for it, but eventually you'll just be sliding that sucker along the wall and painting as if you've been doing it for years. 

Keep a drop cloth or old towel near you.  Every now and then you may notice paint might get to the bottom half of your knife.  If so just wipe it off.  If it builds up you'll start to notice your paint color on the trim you were trying to keep clean.  Thus, it's also good to have a damp wash cloth near by until you get the complete hang of it so you can wipe off any mistakes without having to dig out a different paint once you're done to correct your mistakes. 

While it may take a few minutes to get comfortable with, the time you'll save yourself in the long run when it comes to ceilings, and not having to tape and peel before and after each painting project will be well worth it. 

So, happy painting!  I can't wait to have the room finished, or the painting at the very least so that I can get some pictures up.